Birmingham Airport has become the latest UK transport hub to introduce biometric iris-scanning immigration control technology.
The Iris Recognition Immigration System (IRIS), which allows registered passengers to enter the UK without queuing to see an immigration officer, is already in operation at Heathrow and Manchester airports.
Announced yesterday by the Home Office, the introduction of IRIS at Birmingham Airport comes as immigration minister Liam Byrne looks to build even stronger borders and remove incentives for illegal immigrants to come to Britain.
Enrolment for the scheme takes around five minutes and is free; registration is conducted by immigration staff in the departures area of the airport.
Passengers have their iris patterns photographed and this information is stored in a database. Since no two iris patterns are alike, it allows a scanner to quickly identify the individual when they pass through immigration control.
All they need do is look into a camera and if the system recognises them they will be allowed to pass through an automated barrier. This takes away the need to queue up to see an immigration officer in person.
Byrne commented: “The public are increasingly recognising that using biometric information is the future of air travel. More than 61,000 people have registered with IRIS, proving that the people are enjoying the benefits of a secure border that facilitates entry for legitimate travellers.”
A Birmingham Airport spokesman said the system would be beneficial for travellers, “particularly for the business community for whom time is money”.
